This is Vishal Onkhar’s last column for Delta. Writing has been good for him, but not always easy, he says. It often felt like a three-way wrestling match. Nevertheless, he expresses his gratitude to all of you readers.

At the end of his contract, Vishal Onkhar reflects on what a PhD is really about. He realises the answer depends on when you ask the question: at the beginning, the middle, or the end.

Vishal Onkhar examines the complex web that is the institution of arranged marriage in India, which also has an impact in the Netherlands and TU Delft.

Vishal Onkhar dives into the rabbit hole of Dutch politics to make an ‘informed vote’ for the House of Representatives election. There’s no perfect vote, he discovers.

Older, but hopefully wiser, columnist Vishal Onkhar looks back on his student life in Delft now that he is facing exit.

Columnist Vishal Onkhar revived an old hobby of his: storytelling. That made him realise stories were everywhere around us in daily life, if only we chose to listen.

Walking in the countryside outside Delft, Vishal Onkhar found himself humming a strangely familiar tune. He traced its origins and realised that he was living in this poem.

Sports, digital media and studying; it all kept Vishal Onkhar away from reading literature for years. Until now!

Vishal Onkhar is on the way to becoming a Dutch citizen. A journey to a huge and permanent destination.

Columnist Vishal Onkhar tried ChatGPT. To him it is reminiscent of a newly built home that does not (yet) feel lived-in. But for how long?

Columnist Vishal Onkhar traces an elusive link between Dutch colonialism and his South Indian hometown of Chennai (aka Madras).

Two truths and a lie – TU Delft is a technical university, the courses offered are all held to a high standard of scientific rigour, TU Delft is located in the Netherlands.

On vacation with his family in Chennai, columnist Vishal Onkhar experiences the relentless Indian heatwave first-hand. “Venturing outdoors is virtually intolerable,” he says.

Without diminishing, why is the fervent and heartwarming support for Ukraine sorely lacking for other countries ravaged by war, Vishal Onkhar wonders.

Vishal Onkhar stands once more at a crossroads and is painting a picture of the tumultuous chapter of his life in the past two years.

During his fifth autumn in the Netherlands Vishal Onkhar ponders the pros and cons of the Dutch way of living. “The unbridled independence here is bittersweet to me.”

To help avoid housing problems, TU Delft should regulate the influx of international students better and negotiate more firmly with rental agencies, Vishal Onkhar suggests.

Students partying wildly, staff hurrying back to the office. Columnist Vishal Onkhar hopes for more caution, for the sake of public well-being.

For as long as he remembers Vishal Onkhar has been a night owl. Nevertheless he experiences a brand new nocturnal adventure in Delft after dark one night.

Vishal Onkhar takes an interest in Christian traditions in the Netherlands and celebrates Easter with eggs, tulips and communal spirit.

Valentine’s Day has got columnist Vishal Onkhar in a poetic mood. So he wrote a poem, but that did not turn out very romantic. 

Why is it so difficult for internationals to befriend Dutch people? After three years in the Netherlands, columnist Vishal Onkhar has some experiences of his own.

Longing for a real winter, columnist Vishal Onkhar knows it is time to hibernate until the new year has dawned.

Columnist Vishal Onkhar thinks TU Delft should pay attention to the role of affiliated banks, pension funds and insurance agencies in exacerbating climate change.

It is far better to counterbalance this year’s stories of gloom and doom with tales of kindness and the triumph of the human spirit, Vishal Onkhar discovers.

Shell is hiding behind a façade of sustainability while investing billions in its fossil fuel ventures. TU Delft should stop looking the other way, Vishal Onkhar writes.

Columnist Vishal Onkhar flew back to the Netherlands after having had to spend months in India. The pandemic has to be taken seriously, he thinks, but why are some so callous?

What does the life of a person of colour in the Netherlands look like? Our columnist Vishal Onkhar writes about his experiences with everyday racism.

Instead of blaming China for the Covid-19 pandemic, we should be thanking healthcare professionals. Columnist Vishal Onkhar has seen some good examples around the globe.

Vishal Onkhar is still in India, staying inside and listening to the birds chirping. He urges everyone to persevere and wait the disease out at all costs.

Forget the coronavirus, says columnist Vishal Onkhar. These are turbulent times in the realm of politics and the world at large and academics should take an active interest.

Our new columnist Vishal Onkhar found that since his arrival in the Netherlands, he is more in touch than ever with his Indian roots.